Blizzard Entertainment has posted the twelfth round of its Ask Creative Development Q&A series for StarCraft II. The answers focus on the lore of the popular sci-fi real time strategy game, giving fans insight into the storyline behind the frenzied combat.

Answer: As always, Mengsk plays a deep game. He usually has several reasons for the things he does.

First, Kerrigan had started to question his orders. He knew that if she was feeling squeamish about what he was doing on Tarsonis, she would become progressively more troublesome as the rebellion went on, because he was not going to pull any punches. So it seemed like a good time to get rid of her.

Second, it sent a chilling message to the rest of the Sons of Korhal. They had all been with Mengsk willingly because they believed in his cause. He was essentially telling his own army that the cause was now an established idea and their belief was no longer required—only their obedience. It was the moment Mengsk went from being a revolutionary to a tyrant.

Finally, Mengsk's family had been butchered by a Confederate ghost team in the past. He had uncovered evidence that Kerrigan had led that team and personally slaughtered his family. So this was the moment of revenge.